Polycrystalline diamond radial bearing

Abstract

A radial bearing assembly is provided. The radial bearing assembly includes polycrystalline diamond elements, each having an engagement surface in sliding engagement with an opposing engagement surface. The opposing engagement surface includes a diamond reactive material. The radial bearing assembly may be deployed in a variety of components and applications, including in rotor and stator assemblies. Also provided are methods of use of the radial bearing assembly, as well as methods of designing the radial bearing assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radial bearing assembly comprising:
 a polycrystalline diamond element that includes an engagement surface; 
 an opposing engagement surface comprising a diamond reactive material, wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is in sliding engagement with the opposing engagement surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element has a shape selected from the group including: dome, hemisphere, ovoid, cylinder, paraboloid, conical, square, and rectangular. 
     
     
       3. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element includes a planar surface, a convex surface, or a concave surface. 
     
     
       4. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is highly lapped, polished, or highly polished. 
     
     
       5. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element has a surface finish that is equal to or less than 20 μin. 
     
     
       6. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is not shaped to conform precisely to the opposing engagement surface. 
     
     
       7. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a contact area between the engagement surface and the opposing engagement surface is less than 75% of a total surface area of the engagement surface. 
     
     
       8. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element does not make edge or point contact with the opposing engagement surface. 
     
     
       9. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is saturated with carbon. 
     
     
       10. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface, wherein the diamond reactive material includes diamond catalyst or diamond solvent, the diamond catalyst or diamond solvent including iron or an alloy thereof, cobalt or an alloy thereof, nickel or an alloy thereof, ruthenium or an alloy thereof, rhodium or an alloy thereof, palladium or an alloy thereof, chromium or an alloy thereof, manganese or an alloy thereof, copper or an alloy thereof; titanium or an alloy thereof; or tantalum or an alloy thereof. 
     
     
       11. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond reactive material is in the form of a hardfacing, coating, or plating. 
     
     
       12. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, in addition to radial load, the radial bearing assembly bears axial load. 
     
     
       13. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the radial bearing assembly includes a stator engaged with a rotor, and wherein the engagement surfaces and the opposing engagement surface interface sliding contact between the rotor and the stator. 
     
     
       14. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is positioned and arranged on the stator in sliding contact with the rotor, wherein the rotor includes the opposing engagement surface. 
     
     
       15. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is positioned within a loading port in the stator. 
     
     
       16. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral movement of the rotor. 
     
     
       17. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits axial movement of the rotor. 
     
     
       18. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the rotor includes a groove defining the opposing engagement surface, and wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is positioned within the groove of the rotor. 
     
     
       19. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the rotor includes a conical surface that defines the opposing engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is in contact with the conical surface, and wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral and upward axial movement of the rotor and allows rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       20. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a convex surface on the rotor, wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is in contact with the convex surface, and wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral and upward axial movement of the rotor and allows rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       21. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of polycrystalline diamond elements arranged in a ring on the stator. 
     
     
       22. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is positioned and arranged on the rotor in sliding contact with the stator, and wherein the stator includes at least some of the diamond reactive material and includes the opposing engagement surface thereon. 
     
     
       23. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is positioned within sockets in the rotor. 
     
     
       24. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral movement of the rotor and allows rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       25. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the stator includes a conical surface that defines the opposing engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is in contact with the conical surface, and wherein the polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral and upward axial movement of the rotor and allows rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       26. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a concave surface on the stator, wherein the engagement surface of the polycrystalline diamond element is convex and is in contact with the concave surface of the stator, and wherein the convex polycrystalline diamond element limits lateral and upward axial movement of the rotor and allow rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       27. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the rotor has a variable rotational velocity, and wherein the engagement surface follows an engagement path on the opposing engagement surface that is constant through the variable rotational velocities. 
     
     
       28. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a solid lubricant on the opposing engagement surface. 
     
     
       29. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding engagement between the engagement surface and the opposing engagement surface is non-lubricated. 
     
     
       30. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface is in sliding engagement with the opposing engagement surface along a contact area, wherein said opposing engagement surface rotates about an axis of rotation, and wherein any imaginary line extending from and normal to said contact surface is at an angle relative to said axis of rotation. 
     
     
       31. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface is in sliding contact with the opposing engagement surface through a substantial portion of its use profile. 
     
     
       32. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has a rotational velocity, wherein the engagement between said engagement surface and said opposing engagement surface defines a contact area, and wherein said contact area is independent of the rotational velocity of said rotor. 
     
     
       33. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond reactive material is softer than a superhard material, as determined in accordance with ASTM E10-14. 
     
     
       34. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface, wherein the diamond reactive material is a metal or metal alloy that contains from 45 to 100 weight percent of iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, chromium, manganese, copper, titanium, tantalum, or an alloy thereof. 
     
     
       35. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond reactive material comprises from 50 to 100 weight percent of diamond catalyst or diamond solvent. 
     
     
       36. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface, wherein the diamond reactive material includes a diamond catalyst or diamond solvent, wherein the diamond catalyst or diamond solvent includes an iron-based, cobalt-based, or nickel-based superalloy. 
     
     
       37. The radial bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface. 
     
     
       38. A method comprising:
 providing a radial bearing assembly, the radial bearing assembly including polycrystalline diamond elements, wherein each polycrystalline diamond element includes an engagement surface; 
 interfacing engagement between a rotor and a stator with the polycrystalline diamond elements, such that the engagement surfaces are in sliding engagement with an opposing engagement surface, wherein the opposing engagement surface includes at least some diamond reactive material; and 
 providing a solid lubricant on the opposing engagement surface. 
 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 38 , wherein providing the radial bearing assembly includes highly lapping, polishing, or highly polishing the engagement surfaces. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the engagement surfaces are polished to have surface finishes that are equal to or less than 20 μin. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 38 , wherein interfacing engagement between the rotor and the stator includes avoiding edge and point contact between the polycrystalline diamond elements and the opposing engagement surface. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 38 , further comprising saturating the opposing engagement surface with carbon prior to the interfacing. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 38 , wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface, wherein the diamond reactive material includes diamond catalyst or diamond solvent, the diamond catalyst or diamond solvent including iron or an alloy thereof, cobalt or an alloy thereof, nickel or an alloy thereof, ruthenium or an alloy thereof, rhodium or an alloy thereof, palladium or an alloy thereof, chromium or an alloy thereof, manganese or an alloy thereof, copper or an alloy thereof; titanium or an alloy thereof; or tantalum or an alloy thereof; or
 wherein the opposing engagement surface is a metal surface, wherein the diamond reactive material includes diamond catalyst or diamond solvent, the diamond catalyst or diamond solvent including an iron-based, cobalt-based, or nickel-based superalloy. 
 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 38 , comprising bearing axial and radial load with the radial bearing assembly. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 38 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond elements are provided on the stator, and wherein the opposing engagement surface is on the rotor. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 38 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond elements are provided on the rotor, and wherein the opposing engagement surface is on the stator. 
     
     
       47. A method of designing and making a radial bearing assembly for a rotor and a stator, wherein the radial bearing assembly includes polycrystalline diamond elements, each polycrystalline diamond element including an engagement surface in sliding engagement with an opposing engagement surface of diamond reactive material, the method comprising:
 selecting a configuration of the radial bearing assembly within the rotor and the stator; 
 calculating a maximum contact pressure per polycrystalline diamond element based on a selected number of polycrystalline diamond elements in the selected configuration of the radial bearing assembly within the rotor and the stator, and based on anticipated load; 
 wherein the calculated maximum contact pressure is below a preset maximum allowable pressure; 
 deploying at least a minimum number of the polycrystalline diamond elements on the selected configuration of the radial bearing assembly within the rotor and the stator, wherein the number of the polycrystalline diamond elements fit on the selected configuration of the radial bearing assembly within the rotor and the stator, and making the radial bearing assembly for the rotor and the stator, wherein making the radial bearing assembly includes interfacing engagement between the rotor and the stator with the polycrystalline diamond elements, such that the engagement surfaces are in sliding engagement with the opposing engagement surface. 
 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 47 , wherein a safety factor is applied to the calculated maximum contact pressure, wherein the calculated maximum contact pressure, with the safety factor applied thereto, is below the preset maximum allowable pressure. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 48 , wherein the safety factor is applied to the calculated maximum contact pressure by dividing the calculated maximum contact pressure by the safety factor.